Samsung UN55KS9000 vs UN55KS9500 Review

Overview

Both Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 are parts of Samsung’s 2016 HDR SUHD LED TV lineup Series 9. As the top series, both of them come with the number Samsung’s most advanced technologies that makes they deliver stunning picture quality with rich color and strong contrast. They also support HDR (High Dynamic Range) where we all know HDR is the main focus of 4K TVs in 2016. But unfortunately, there is no 3D technology behind it like the predecessor UN55JS9500 or UN55JS9000 that course will disappoint 3D fans.

For processing HDR Signals, both of Samsung UN55KS9500 and UN55KS9500 are powered by HDR 1000 technology. But of course there is not only their great HDR engine behind them, but there are also quantum dot panel, Supreme UHD Dimming, Precision Black Local Dimming, and, Peak Illuminator, many others that make their performance is great. That is not less interesting is about its excellent Tizen OS that offers tons of useful and interesting apps. In the market, both of them are sold with difference in price about $200 while UN55KS9000 is sold about $1850 and more expensive than UN55KS9000. But of course their price is not fixed and still could change at any time and usually will tend to go down as time goes by.

The differences between Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500

We can see on comparison table above, there is almost no difference between Samsung UN55KS9500 and UN55KS9000 except their type of panel where UN55KS9000 comes with flat panel type while UN55KS9500 comes with curved panel. Another difference is about depth enhancing technology but basically, these technologies have the same function that is for improving contrast. The difference, contrast enhancer is designed for Samsung fat panel while Auto Depth Enhancer is designed for Samsung curved panel.

Curved Panel vs Flat Panel

As mentioned above, the major difference is about their type panel where Samsung UN55KS9000 comes with flat panel while UN55KS9500 comes with curved panel. With their difference in type of panel, UN55KS9500 is sold about $200 more expensive than UN55KS9000. According to Samsung as the manufacturer, the major advantage of Samsung UN55KS9500 is it offers wider viewing angle than UN55KS9000 that comes with flat panel. But, is it so? Let’s discuss a bit about the advantages and disadvantages of curved panel to flat panel.

There are 3 important points that should be considered in buying curved or flat panel TV that has impact on picture quality. First is about i immersiveness and size, the second is about viewing angle, and the third is about refection. Let’s discuss one by one about them.

Size and immersiveness

With the same screen size, the picture that displayed on curved panel will looks slight bigger than flat panel. This is caused the angle between side of curved panel and line of our sight is wider than flat panel.

Viewing Angle

If viewed from center and in front of panel, the picture that displayed by both of these panels looks similar. Moving on 20 degrees off center where it is a critical angle the color and contrast will be degraded, on curved panel, the nearest panel side will looks worse than flat panel while the farthest panel side will look better than flat panel. The wider of viewing angle, the farthest panel side will look better so this will make this picture in this area will looks clearer. But in other hand, the picture on the nearest panel side will looks more compressed. Overall, there is a slight improvement in viewing angle on curved panel, but it is not too significant.

Reflections

The reflection on curved panel and fat panel is also different. On curved panel, the reflections will be seen in more areas across the screen than curved panel. But because of both of Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 is powered by Ultra Clear Panel Ultimate where one of the functions of these technology is for reducing reflections, of course they are can be minimized on the screen of UN55KS9000 or UN55KS9500.

With a bit difference in characteristic between flat panel and curved panel where it becomes a major difference between Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500, you certainly can consider which you should choose between them. This means if you choose curved panel for a significant improvement in picture quality especially about viewing angle like what claimed, hopefully you will not be disappointed. But if you don’t mind spend about $200 more to get a bit advantages, this would not be a problem.

Similarities

HDR Performance

The excepting of type of panel and dept enhancing technology, both of Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS95000 offers virtually identical performance and features. Because of both of them support HDR, let’s start from HDR performance that offered by them.

Both of Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 is powered by HDR 1000 engine that support HDR 10 format. You need to know, HDR 10 is an open source HDR format fronted by UHD Alliance. There are some certain standardizations of HDR 10 that should be met by HDR TV. About contrast, UHD Alliance set 0.05 nits of black level and 1000 nits of peak brightness that should be reached by a HDR TV, while about color coverage, a HDR should delivered more than 90% DCI of P3 color space and support 10 bit panel. A HDR TV compliant with all minimum standardizations of HDR 10 entitled to Ultra HD Premium Certification. So, how the HDR performance of UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 is?

Start from black level, both Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 can reach about 0.014 nits with contrast ratio about 6800:1. This course is a great thing that reached by LED TVs and much lower than 0.05 nits as the standardization of HDR 10 about black level. Otherwise, in term of peak of brightness, both of them also can reach about 1500 nits of peak brightness while the minimum standardization set by UHD alliance is 1000 nits peak of brightness. With peak brightness that achieved by them, this makes they are included one of brightest 4K TVs that ever.

Moving on color performance, both Samsung UN55KS9500 and UN555KS900 is powered by quantum dot technology where in last year models this technology called “Nano Crystal Color”. The result is really amazing. They can deliver more than 95% of DCI P3 Color spaces that means the color of the picture that displayed on their screen will looks very accurate. In other hands, UHD alliance set minimum 90% DCI P3 of color space that should covered by a HDR TV. This means what delivered by Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 already exceeds what set by UHD Alliance for Ultra HD Premium Certification. Additionally, both of them also support 10 bit of panel that can provides more 1 billion shades of color. This makes color gradients of the picture displayed on each of their screen looks very smooth without color gradation or banding.

Samsung Quantum dot With 10 Bit Panel

With all display specs about contrast and color reached by both UN55KS9500 and UN55KS9000, this means both of them compliant with the standardization of HDR 10 for Ultra HD Premium Certification. This certainly will make you to be able to enjoy HDR picture fully without any issues. With the stunning performance in HDR, this course also applies for SDR contents. So, if you are searching TV with HDR quality fully, UN55KS9000 or UN55KS9500 is one of the best options that should be considered.

Motion Control

When handling videos with fast motion scenes, Samsung UN55KS9500 and UN55KS9000 is also powered by the same technology that is Supreme Motion Rate 240 Hz based on native 120 Hz refresh rate panel. As we know, Samsung is always behind the competitor in term of handling motion blur. But for UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500, this can be said good with minimal motion blur when they are used for watching sports program or other fast contents. When playing 24p contents like Blu ray movies or streaming 24p contents via 60p or 60i signals, their performance is also excellent. This means, there is no judder when they are playing all of these types of content.

UHD Up-scaling

The great performance is also shown by both Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 when they are handling video sources with resolution lower than 4K. This is very important considering there are not many native 4K contents that available in the market or streaming providers. Moreover with the advent of HDR in 4K industry, of course some content creators prefer o mastered their contents in HDR than 4K. Where it process DVDs movies with 480p resolution, the picture that displayed on 4K screen of them looks very clear and details in 4K quality. It also does a good job when the source is 720p like Satellite or Cable TV. Moreover if the sources is 1080p like Blu Ray movies, the picture that produced looks finer and not many different to native 4K sources.

Smart TV

Fast, Responsive, Attractive, and Intuitive, they are the depiction of Tizen OS as the smart TV platform of Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500. User Interface is designed very simple so easier to use, but this doesn’t mean the apps that provided are poor. In the bottom of the home screen, there is a “ribbon” that contains graphical shortcut to access apps, services, or inputs. If you access an app, for instance YouTube, a content bar that contains suggestion contents will pops out on the top it. Another for instance, when you access Netflix app, a contents bar contain latest movies or latest episodes of any series will pops out on the top of it as the suggestion contents. Of course this will make you more comfort when searching contents than navigating via the app.

Moving on apps provided, Tizen OS provided tons of useful and interesting apps. There is Web browser with TV friendly interface, the number of Premium VoD services that allows you to stream HDR contents like Netflix and Amazon Prime, and many more. A new app that is not less attractive is about Cloud Gaming that allows you to play tons of attractive games via streaming. This means it is not only support one games streaming service but two, Sony’s Play Station Now and GameFly. Of course, it is required monthly subscription to be able play games streaming from them. And as a controller, you can use a game controller designed special for Tizen OS or most standard USB remotes, or even you can use Sony Dual Shock Controller for Play Station Now app.

Samsung’s new Smart Touch Remote as the controller is designed more convenient to use. The navigation pad is placed precisely where your thumb comes to rest. It has a function “point and click like mouse on your laptop or notebook. Additionally there is also Voice Navigation function with built in microphone which can be used to alter the volume, change input, channels, search on the web, launch an app, and many more.

Audio Performance

Both of Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 are equipped with 2.2 channel speaker system and powered by 60 watts power amplifier. This means power output for each channels of standard speakers is 20 watts while power output for each channels of woofer is 10 watts. For a slim TV like them, its sound quality can be said very well. Mid range and high frequency are heard clean with very noticeable stereo sound separation between channels. Additionally, with 2 built in woofer, the low frequency or bass also sounded steady. But this doesn’t mean it will offer you with the best experience sound quality on a TV. But compared to a standalone sound bar, its sound quality is still quite enough to meet them. So, to get the best experience in sound quality, the addition of external sound bar still suggested for Samsung UN55KS9500 or UN55KS9000.

Connectivity

As their major connectivity, Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 are equipped with 4 HDMI Ports and 3 USB Ports. Additionally, there is also 1 RF (Terrestrial) port, Digital Audio Out (optical), and RS 232. There is no Composite In and Component In on both of them. But unlike most TV where their ports are installed on the rear or side panel of TVs, on UN55KS9000 and UN55KS900, there are only 1 UDB Ports, RS232, and Optical that installed on the panel. All HDMI Ports, 2 USB Ports and RF ports are installed on Once Connect Box. The benefit, if there is an upgrade version or functionality on these ports, you just need to upgrade or change your box without change your TVs. This certainly is a very brilliant idea.

Conclusion

As we have discussed above, type of panel if the main difference between Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500. This makes UN55KS9500 with curved panel is sold about $200 more expensive than UN55KS9000 with flat panel. But as we have discussed above, the use of curved panel does not provide a significant benefit on overall picture quality.

Separated from their differences, both Samsung UN55KS9000 and UN55KS9500 offer stunning picture quality in HDR or SDR with deep black level, bright peak white, and wide color gamut. They even compliant with all standardization of HDR 10 format set by UHD alliance for Ultra HD Premium Certification. In addition to stunning picture quality, both of them also offer great performance in motion handling and UHD Up-scaling. The other highlight feature of both is about Tizen OS where it is one of most attractive and responsive Smart TV platform with tons of interesting and useful apps.

So, which is a better choice between them? As described above, UN55KS9500 is sold about $200 more expensive than UN55KS9000. In return, it comes with curved panel. With no significant improvement on picture quality that offered, in my personal opinion, Samsung UN55KS9000 is a better choice. But if you don’t mind spend about $200 more to get curved TV with virtually identical performance, of course it is your personal right. But if you main consideration in choosing Samsung UN55KS9500 expect much better performance especially about viewing angle like claimed, maybe you will feel disappointed. Now, the decision still comes back to you. However, if you need more opinion about them, there are many opinions from the real users who have purchased one of them.

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